Welcome to my sarbsblog!

‘Nothing is as it appears; but everything is, as it is.’

— unknown (to me)

This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going and I’m pretty excitied. I’ve always been fascinated by religious belief systems and have followed, more than my fair share of them, at various times, starting from an early age. I later, considered myself, spiritual, rather than religious, as I became dismayed with the hypocrisy, lies and abuses, that consistently prevailed, over the religious ideals being expounded, in these groups. As I later explored, cult recovery, mind control, hypnosis and other related topics and with the help of a post-cult counsellor, I finally undid, the curse of fervent religious searching, that had plagued me since childhood. I’m here to share my journey and somewhat, controversial conclusions about thought manipulation, as applied in religious sects and society, more generally. My experiences include, growing up in a extreme sect, yoga and meditation practice, covert narcissist in the family, Christianity and over a decade in the controversial Church of Scientology. Hope you will stay tuned and follow. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.

They told me I was lucky, they said I was woke.They hung on every word and laughed at every joke.They became my new friends and family, better than the old ones, I no longer see.They said there was hope and we could all be free, even the trees and the birds and me.Come and see, just wait here with me, you’ve got to check out this great new philosophy.We’ve cracked the code, we broke the spell, we got happiness and freedom to sell.They taught me well, new words and old tricks, using magical know how or hypnosis.Then under the spell, I could no longer tell, if I was well, happy or sad.Robotically I served under my oath, expert at smiling and selling the dope.It’s all for the best and one for all, except don’t dare question where all the pennies fall.I became but a slave, who needed no whip, given barely enough to lick my lips.I gave all I could but it was never enough, I lost most of my mind and all of my stuff.Now I see how they trapped me and fed me by spoon but I forgive them as friends, after all, they’re all trapped too.Cult Hopper 2020

As we end another year and decade, we may find ourselves pondering the deeper questions of life.I certainly, have had plenty to contemplate, after a life changing year.Are we any closer to our goals and dreams? Are we on the right path? Are we achieving the happiness we sought?We may, as well, ponder on the more intricate politics of life, such as our engagement in societal functions, such as, careers, family, relationships, groups, community activities, etc.Whatever our situation, it is likely, we’d like to make some improvements and the new year is a time for making renewed commitments towards attaining ones chosen (in most cases), objectives and desires. Though the peaked gym sign ups and weight watching fads, may not last more than a few weeks or so, the notion of making things better, is inherent, to at least some degree, in us all.In the weird and wonderful world of cults, the turn of the decade could mean many different things. A doomsday style cult, for example, may be desperately frightening the bejeezers out of its followers, frantically affirming their doctrine and warning people, to prepare for the fast approaching Armageddon, whereas scientologists, on the other hand, may be busy collecting donations and making renewed group postulates for a cleared planet, ,coming soon, if only, you would pay up, just one more time!

ArmageddenScientology has a solution for everthing- ‘donate’!

Fortunately, we can see progress being made towards a better understanding of cults and coercive manipulation, reaching outside of the specialist field. Thanks to the bravery of the leavers and cult experts, who have often risked potentially devastating consequences, in their efforts to bring truth and justice.

A few of the thousands of ex-scientologists who’ve spoken out.

Work is being done on many fronts, court cases, films, tv series, educational talks, books, websites, YouTube channels, etc, are worked on diligently by dedicated activists, therapists, journalists, bloggers, film makers, etc.

Some of my favourite ‘cult’ books.

Despite the ongoing work, we still see more and more people, falling for coercive mind control techniques, all around us, in political parties, NRMs, MLM schemes, etc. Just this morning, I was approached and given a card, by two young ladies who wanted to talk to me about Jesus! Whether they are glorifying a leader or spacing out to Kayne West’s Sunday Service, we can witness them falling by the millions!

You can’t Trump Kayne Wests Sunday services! 🤣

At the same time as we can pay homage to the tremendous work done and being done, in this field, the reported increase in new cults being formed and followed and the heightened use of cult methods by mainstream channels, are worrying and I personally feel that our current efforts will fall short, if our objective is to, open up peoples minds enough that they can protect themselves from coercive influences and/or falling into cult mind control groups.There seem to be endlessly multi-dimensional reasons, why it appears a losing battle, some factors to consider are;The likelihood that the majority of people interested in this vital subject, are those who have already realised that they had been hoodwinked into some form of cult life, so we may mainly be talking to each other, already ‘in the know’.Lack of an organised and co-ordinated approach to outreach activities.The potentially huge, inactive field of ex-cult members, at different levels of deprogramming, some of which may not even be aware that they were part a cult group, others who may fear retaliation or other unwanted consequences of speaking out and yet others, who haven’t yet fully understood the mechanisms of what they endured and how these same mechanisms can influence us all.Cult followers tend to become fanatical, they are often seen to give much more time and effort to their cause than is natural, outside of cult mind control groups.The multitudes of varying opinions, beliefs, experiences and conclusions, that are evident amongst the ex-cult communities, is also an obvious barrier to any unified approach to deprogramming the planet, so to speak.

Hopefully talking about these and other issues, will help us develop solutions which can progressively be implemented in some co-ordinated fashion.Might a grass roots, peaceful and educational movement, possibly, still be able to turn the tide or is it too little too late? Could we possibly kick start a ‘me too’ culture amongst the ex-cult members out there and start to get everyone diagnosing their beliefs?

Coming soon in 2020!

Hindsight is always 2020, they say and we can always hope the forecast is not as bad as it appears or hopefully we’ll get more effective and co-ordinated at educating the public, so that, with some support and education, they can stand a much better chance of avoiding the pitfalls of coercive manipulation and cults, in 2020 and beyond.

Thank you, to all the my friends and family, old and new, who have all helped me along their way, in some manner.

Next year and the following decade are bound to be, full of opportunities and pit falls, as usual. Wish you all success, in steering your way to real happiness and success in 2020 and beyond. Happy New 2020!

One thing most of us can agree upon, is our fundamental human rights. Though these are obviously an important bedrock from which our laws and regulations attempt to protect us from unwarranted abuses, they have also been used as a popular public relations theme and gimmick, wherein, even abusive cult groups can be seen to lovingly embrace the bandwagon, aligning themselves to these values, regardless of whether their policies and practices even remotely uphold these values in the real world. Scientology, for example has Human Rights front groups, like CCHR and Youth for Human Rights and includes, inalienable rights to think and act freely, in it’s doctrine, while in practice, their members actions are under group control and their thoughts all end up, alike, as the indoctrination moulds their thinking.

Dogmatic beliefs

The rights to freedom of speech and freedom of thought, seem to be, particularly brandished around as justifications for all kinds of unsubstantiated ramblings, belief systems, therapies, faith’s, etc. Many of these groups, under the guise of freedom are not only permitted to potentially abuse their followers with coercive control techniques but are also substantially protected and supported by being allowed, special relaxed rules relating to the human rights of their group members, (even children) as well as, financial comforts like tax exemptions (and other loop holes), charity status, tax free donations, etc. They get rich and influential, on the backs of their belief controlled subjects, who invariably are found on the giving end of this arrangement.

The reasoning behind the relaxed rules for labour, pay, tax, etc, are mainly supported by the argument that religious groups bring invaluable services to their communities and that people should be allowed to believe and join or leave groups as they choose, which all sounds very well and good, however, these notions, inadvertently leave the groups members open to ‘volunteering’ themselves up, to various degrees of abusive control, such as scientology’s billion years of dedicated enslavement sea org contract. The notion that one has voluntarily chosen to give up their, time, labour, money, resources, etc, is disputed, as experts in cult behaviour, neurology, hypnosis, post cult counselling, etc seem all to be heading towards, one day, proving conclusively that beliefs can be embedded under a person’s conscious awareness, hence, covertly influencing his decisions and personality. As more and more of this research gradually becomes peer reviewed and accepted as scientifically conclusive, our human rights will need a new clause added to the right to freedom of thought, which express’s additionally, the right of every individual to be protected from coercive thought/belief manipulation techniques in or by groups or persons.The millions of ex-cult group members, many shunned by still-in cult family members or suffering from mental health issues often related to their cult experience or abuses within the cult groups, warrants a another look at what freedom of thought actually constitutes. Individuals or groups should be allowed to believe and worship as they please but with the exception of the use of coercive thought control techniques, which are hidden in the rites practiced by most of these groups. (See my last post)Our differing religious and societal belief systems are our main areas of disagreement and discord. Despite the values and communal family orientated religious benefits associated with the more harmless faith’s, the unsubstantiated beliefs embedded as truths, differing from group to group seem like the ingredients for the recipe for war, that we seem to keep added to our pot continually. The perceived value of religious groups and belief systems is outweighed considerably by the destructive consequences of opposing dogmatic unsubstantiated beliefs, constantly striving for dominance over other belief systems. This has invariably results in conflict as exemplified by extreme terrorist groups and wars, these are normally between one groups beliefs and another’s, regardless of any and all other reasons being purported, valid or not.In conclusion, in my view, the general lack of understanding of the processes and mental mechanics underpinning our beliefs directly contributes to the degree to insanity and conflict we see in the world around us. No group should be allowed to practice religious rites that are hypnotic or coercive in their nature, if our basic human rights are to be protected.

Science has been busy, measuring and studying our brainwaves and neuro transmissions for near enough, a century. The subject of electroencephalography or EEG, is fascinating and often included in the studies of hypnosis, NLP, meditation, etc, even new age schools of thought, often incorporate this science, as validation of their, particular theories or practices. Hence, there are differing interpretations of what these altered trance states represent and how they can be used or abused. Most of the material that one finds, relates to positive aspects of these altered states, as applied in relaxation therapies, mindfulness, meditation, etc. The more sinister aspects, like mind control, covert hypnosis, etc, are rarely, if ever, discussed. Many people, having seen hypnosis, mainly on TV screens and stage shows, tend to percieve it as an obvious and drastic change to a normal state. However, we are experiencing one or the other of these states at all times and usually, slide up and down the scale with ease and speed. Highway hypnosis is a common example used to demonstrate how altered states effect us, on a daily basis.

Electroencephalography

These brain waves are frequencies, measured in Hertz (hz) and usually divided into five groups.

Theta waves (3-8hz) are associated with dreamy sleep or meditation. Here, one is between sleep and wakefulness. Imagination is vividly stimulated. Realities, beliefs, phobias, fears and nightmares are said to be created and reside here.

Alpha waves- (8-12hz) are dominant during light flowing thoughts and associated with lighter meditative states. Here the person is relatively aware of his surroundings but in a slighty daydream like state, conducive to calmness and relaxation.

Beta waves- (12-38hz) are associated with our normal waking state, where our attention is mainly focused on external activities. Conducive to problem solving, alertness, decision making, etc. This band is often divided in smaller sub-divisions, low-beta, beta or beta2 and hi-beta.

Gamma waves- (38hz plus), are not too well understood yet, but thought to be associated with more complex associate thoughts, such as, altruistic capacity.

The area of most interest to us, (and the hypnotist), is the alpha-theta border (approx 7-9hz). This is the area, where suggestion and imagination are heightened and beliefs and realities can be founded or crushed, below a person’s conscious awareness and once such suggestions are embedded, all the mental capacities of the individual, can work relentlessly towards, confirming those beliefs, regardless of any proofs that may be lacking or evident. As an example, if a person were hypnotised to, touch his head, each time they saw someone smile, not only can the person be seen to carry out the command, but also, he will find ways to rationalise his unwarranted, head touching. He may, for example, imagine that he touched his head because he felt a slight warmth there or had an itch, etc. He is utterly unaware of the actual cause of his behaviour or reasoning but can find unlimited ways to rationalise his predicament, which is where delusional and/or erroneous concepts can start to be concluded and this may be the dark shadow that underlies and divides our beliefs. Though, generally harmless, this state, can be used to embed any unsubstantiated belief, by a trained hand or even unknowing operator.

Hypnotism is just one of the more modern names for this knowledge, which has supposedly, been around forever as used by the occultists, witches, secret magic schools, shamans, faith healers, and so forth. There are many covert methods of bringing a person or group of people into this alpha/theta border trance state. A hypnotist may ask you too close your eyes and relax, but these are not requisites to suggestive trance. This state can be seen to be induced by various, seemingly benign practices such as, repetitive chanting, group singing of familiar songs or hymns, starring into eyes, meditative trances and many more.

Though these practices can be seen as prevalent in many, if not all, religious groups, it does not necessarily imply that they are all cults. A cult is destructive and will combine many, controlling techniques to manipulate it’s followers, in order to abuse them. However, the use of hypnosis, I believe, is key to ‘belief forming’ or ‘thought founding’, as I like to call it. Here the subject believes he is either originating or is in agreement with, concepts and beliefs which were introduced whilst subjected to suggestive states and hence can’t see that he is making the reality true, as a hypnotic subject generally does.

In scientology, the use of altered trance states is particularly generic. Training drills(TRs), auditing, assists, reach and withdraw, even their annual events, can all be seen to use trance inducing techniques, usually disguised as some form of spiritual enhancement.

Most hypnotist, understandably, would prefer their profession, was not associated, with any risk of undue influence and therefore tend to play down the risks to nearly nothing. They like to tell us, we can’t be hypnotised, unless we agree to it or that it can do no harm, whilst they are, already at this point, getting you to carry out small requests, reassuring you into a relaxed state and planting pre-session positive suggestions, before your therapy has even began.

With the exponential rise in new religious movements and cults accruing large followings and the increased use of these techniques in the political, commercial and even terrorist fields, I believe, an wider understanding of these principles, may be fundamental in safeguarding our and our future generations, freedoms.

There is little need amongst governments, religious groups, etc, to make these concepts widely understood. It seems more likely, activism, will be required, if we stand any chance of turning the current tide.

Disclaimer: Reading this material, with the provision of an honest and unbiased appraisal, may alter your viewpoint. No harm or insult is intended in expressing my opinions.

I my view, Scientology is what you get, when you cross a genius brain, the likes of, David Blaine, with the personality, of an ambitious but depraved grandiose vunerable covert narcissist, the likes of Adolf Hitler! Hubbards ‘works’, are anything, except, what they portray themselves as being, to their dwindling parishionership of still deluded subjects.

There is evidently, a startling contrast and divergence in the opinions of ex-scientologists, as to what Scientology really is, or can or cannot accomplish. as well as, the actual history of Hubbard and Scientology, which is also, hotly contested on posts and blogs, as this fascinating tale, can take many a different or even conspiratorial path, depending on who you choose to listen to, amongst the ex-scientology communities and forums. There is even a man who has changed this legal name to Lafayette Hubbard and believes himself, to be the re-incarnation of LRH and even he, has a small but passionate following.

Researchers in the field of Post Cult Counselling, seem to be better able to agree on facts and to co-operate in their efforts, as they have broken down the mechanisms of mind control, pretty definitively, over the last few decades. It can now, relatively easily be demonstrated, that the techniques employed, in all cults, hold some basic parallels, infact, these traits, can be used as a diagnostic tool in themselves. Scientology is no exception, other than, in the sheer, magnitude of materials and techniques, developed and employed to keep it’s subjects, transfixed, in a cult persona, (ie, the scientology personality, ones who has taken on the cult leaders views, beliefs, etc, as his or her own). A Scientologist is considered, one of the hardest, ‘nuts to crack’, (pardon the pun!) and Hubbard known as the master manipulator, even when compared to, other ‘masterful’ cult leaders, by those post cult counsellors experienced in undoing Hubbards bewitching practices.

Some ex-scientologists, still ‘believing in the Tech’, but disillusioned by current managements money grabbing and off-policy antics, continue to seek services outside of the Church’s official jurisdiction. Unfortunately, they haven’t yet come to a conclusive reality that, it’s only the brainwashing that works, not the ‘Tech’! Whilst others, quiety use what they still think they find useful, though they may be otherwise, disaffected. There are as many different views and experiences as there are ex-scientologists. The ex-scientology field, appears to also be, rife with trolls and/or OSA (Office of Special Affairs, scientologys secret service department) operatives, causing yet further discord, mis-information and side-taking. This creates a further, lack of co-ordinated, co-operative action between the different factions in the anti-scientology communities. These divisions may well, be contributory factors, as to why, scientology, is still a force to be reckoned with, in a global context. Not to take away, from the brave activists, who have given so much and endured the wrath of scientologys ruthless ‘seek and destroy’ policy against its critics, but a stable platform, from which to build a group of co-ordinated activists, expansive enough to ‘bring down’ a multi-million dollar, global movement with legal and financial clout is evidently lacking, as of yet. While the church, no matter how nuts, it may be, still operates under a somewhat co-ordinated system, with everyone parroting off the same hymn sheet (policy) and actions and plans executed towards common objectives. I’m not suggesting, we all become parrots, but steps could to be taken, to bring more agreement amongst ex-scientology factions, so that our actions can be better co-ordinated, if we are to become more effective, at getting our messages and warnings heard and acted upon.

Part of the solution may lay in deprogramming or post cult counselling, although education, should be enough for many, depending on how entangled in the scientology identity they had become.

More thorougly deprogrammed, (as opposed to reprogrammed), ex-scientologists, have come to the understanding that Hubbard’s works are nothing more than, the suggestive ramblings of a master manipulator, expert in hypnosis and the usage of loaded language, conversational hypnosis, trance induction, thought reform, etc, in fact, the entire array of subjective, brainwashing, (undue influence, mind control, covert manipulation or whichever, other term you prefer), toolkit. This is a point of contention, as I am well aware. If anyone, had suggested to me, that I had been a hypnotic subject, at any point, before I saw it for myself, I know for sure, how fervently, I would have opposed, such an absurd notion. Just a few, short years ago, I was telling my friends and family, with conviction, that scientology is the opposite of hypnosis and that it unhypnotises you, which is exactly what Hubbard wanted us to believe. I was under the impression, that I had a relatively good grasp on hypnosis as a scientologist, nothing could have been further from the truth.

Myself, and a few others, that I’ve noticed, are commonly, beating on about hypnosis, while, the majority, don’t seem to necessarily, consider it too much of a factor, (amongst many others), in the change of behaviour and thought patterns they experienced, when they were being ‘turned into’, scientologists. The suggested belief, that their own determinism, played a major role in their decisions and mindset, whilst in scientology, can, I believe, cause a major part of the cognitive dissonance that prevents an honest and open self dialogue and examination of the real genesis of their cult mindset. The problem, seems to lie, at least partly, in a lack of knowledge, of altered trance states and other concepts of hypnosis that are covertly in effect, whilst a completely alternative purpose is attributed to the practices. If you have ever wondered why cult doctrine can sound so confusing and often, contradictory, it’s because it needs to be, these complexities serve to deepen the trance and layers of thought stopping cliches, commonly, used in cult language.

We see, in the wider arena, an empirical increase in the use of cult methods, in religious, political, terrorist, corporate, etc, groups. Most of it may be pretty harmless, but with the alarming rate of ‘followers’, falling for new movements, it’s time to teach these understandings far and wide, to the world, if we are to ever consider ourselves as nations of free thinkers.

Cult hopping, I believe, is a symptom of, one still holding unsubstantiated beliefs, embedded during hypnotic altered states.

I will attempt to expound further on the prevalent role of hypnosis in the practices of scientology and cults generally, in future posts, along with, examples and explantions of what these basic covert hypnosis principals are and how they are applied in these groups.

Hello and thanks for being here. I’m an ex-cult-hopper and now, ‘deprogrammed’, ex-scientologist. A cult hopper is, someone who leaves a cult, only to join another or others, (or basicly someone, like me, who takes too long, to learn their lesson), I will be blogging about cults, trauma therapy, thought manipulation, undue influence, activism and my ongoing recovery from abuse and (for lack of a more suitably, descriptive word,) brainwashing. I’m passionately or possibly obsessively, (as my wife would call it), researching cults, mind control, covert hypnosis, undue influence and other related topics. I hope to share my experiences, (often considered controversial) views, speculations and conclusions, concerning these topics and groups, including religious, political and corporate cult influences. I plan to cover, scientology,(my favourite), MLM schemes, Christian and Guru cults, societal coercive control, political and media manipulation, plus much more.